Teleworking has changed the game
As a recent article in the Harvard Business Review points out, there are no easy solutions for companies trying to develop policies that balance office and flexible work.
Employees discovered during lockdowns that working from home was not only feasible, but often beneficial. Flexibility, autonomy, better time management – these are all benefits that, for many, have redefined their vision of productivity and fulfillment at work.
In light of this, abrupt calls for a return to in-person work can be perceived as a desire to return to an outdated model that no longer reflects modern reality.
An office for collaboration, not surveillance
In this context, leaders must rethink their approach. The goal is not so much to bring everyone back to the office, but to recreate a dynamic conducive to innovation and collaboration.
The office can become a strategic meeting place, where employees gather for creative exchanges or decisive meetings, and not just a surveillance space.
If this article speaks to you, take a small step further.
Workspaces that adapt
This change also requires rethinking the architecture of workspaces.
Out with fixed and impersonal offices; in with more open and flexible spaces, designed for authentic human interaction.
It's time to see the office as a collaborative space rather than an obligation.
Trust before presence
But beyond the physical reorganization, it's a question of culture. Companies must recognize that performance is no longer measured by physical presence alone. By emphasizing trust and autonomy, they can build team loyalty while incorporating lessons learned during the pandemic.
Ultimately, the return to the office is less a question of timing than of intention. Companies willing to listen to their employees, adapt to their needs, and embrace hybrid work may well find this transition an opportunity for transformation rather than a source of tension.
